NBA PLAYOFFS

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets for 3-1 lead in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Warriors led by Klay Thompson handed the Rockets its 3rd loss with a 121-94 final score. Klay had 23 points and 5 assists.

Steph Curry, who only had 6 points in the game, suffered a sprained right knee when he slipped right before the end of the first half.Curry was very frustrated, he tried to run in the locker room and tried to start the second half but it just cannot happen.

Game tied at 56 at halftime, the Warriors without the league MVP, outscored the Rockets 41-20 in the 3rd quarter.

Golden State Warriors take a 2-0 lead after holding off the Houston Rockets 115-106.
Klay Thompson led the warriors scoring 34 points and dished out five assists for the defending champions, playing without the NBA MVP Steph Curry because of an injured right ankle. Curry cut short his pregame warmup routine after appearing to be in discomfort as he was shooting while putting little pressure on the tender ankle.

James Harden had 28 points and 11 assists to lead the Rockets. He made 13 of 15 free throws after not attempting one in the opener.

Big man Marreese Speights hit a key momentum 3-pointer from the baseline with 8.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter to make it 86-79, and the deep, versatile Warriors showed they can win without Curry on the playoff stage just as everybody on the roster believed.

Shaun Livingston, who left Sunday’s practice with an illness, had 16 points and six assists playing in Curry’s place.

After a 26-point victory in Game 1, the Warriors had to work a little harder in Game 2.

Dwight Howard’s dunk of an alley-oop pass with 6:54 left in the third pulled the Rockets within 71-67, but Golden State kept answering with big baskets.

“There’s a smaller margin for error,” Kerr said of a lineup without Curry.

Golden State Warriors point guard and 2015 season MVP Stephen Curry will not play In Game 2 against the Houston Rockets due to his right ankle injury, the team has announced. Shaun Livingston will start in his place.

Curry had 24 points and seven rebounds in just 20 minutes in Saturday’s Game 1 victory before leaving due to injury.

Curry missed a Dec. 31 game against the Rockets and forward Draymond Green had 16 assists in a triple-double in his absence.